Apparatus for continuously paying out a relatively long band



April 19, 1955 s. CAlLLIOT 2,706,629 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PAYING OUT A RELATIVELY LONG BAND Filed June 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l y lzzv 691MB Cazll zlof;

April 19, 1955 s. CAILLIOT 2,706,629 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PAYING OUT A RELATIVELY LONG BAND Flled June 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 as 5% llllllllllllll' llllllllllllllllllllllllllll I121) 1:27am (5', Caz/6 Z/ L of;

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR CON TINUOUSLY PAYING OUT A RELATIVELY LONG BAND Serge Cailliot, Paris, France Application June 6, 1952, Serial No. 292,152 Claims priority, application France June 7, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 271-2.18)

This invention relates to devices of the type adapted to support and pay out a band, strip, film or Wire of relatively great length, without any risk of chocking or breaking this band, strip, etc., the latter being fed to the apparatus with an incoming side and from the apparatus with an outgoing side, and consisting preferably but not exclusively of an endless band forming a continuous loop, for example of textile or plastic material, or a diagram-recording band or wire, or a sound-recording and/ or picture film, etc.

The apparatus according to the invention, wherein the band to be supported and paid out is wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, is characterized in that the spiral-shaped winding comprising the aforesaid band is laid flatwise on a set of preferably tapering rollers disposed radially round a common rotary member on which they are rotatably mounted with their topmost generatrices positioned in a common plane at right angles to the axis of rotation of said common rotary member, means being provided for rotating these rollers about their axes during the rotation of this common rotary member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus the larger ends of the rollers are closer to the aforesaid common rotary member than their smaller ends, and the direction in which they are rotated about their respective axes is such that the relative velocity of the generatrices of said rollers and the speed at which the latter are driven, at the points thereof on which the spiral winding is supported, are of same hand, the band being fed to the outermost turn and paid out from the innermost turn of the spiral.

Preferably, each roller is driven for rotation about its axis by a rotary member fast therewith, this member engaging an annular driving member coaxial With the aforesaid common rotary member.

This annular driving member may be stationary and the rollers caused to rotate about their axes by rotatably driving said common rotary member relative to the stationary annular member. Besides, this annular driving member may be rotatable, a common differential mechanism being provided and adapted to rotate the annular driving member and the roller-carrying rotary member simultaneously.

Advantageously, the apparatus may be provided with a pivoted arm bearing against the payed-out side of the band and controlling adjustment members for the purpose of continuously and automatically governing the speed of the aforesaid common rotary member.

The attached drawings forming part of this specification illustrate diagrammatically, by way of example, two specific forms of embodiment of the invention broadly described hereabove. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatical plane view of a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an axial of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an axial sectional view of another embodiment showing notably a modified driving arrangement theresection taken upon the line llll The apparatus comprises generally a stationary frame or like structure 1 having mounted therein a vertical shaft 2 driven by an electric motor 3. Fixed to the upper end of this shaft 2 is a rotary member 4 having superimposed thereon a cylindrical drum 5 mounted for loose rotation relative 8 to the shaft 2 and the height 2,706,629 Patented Apr. 19, 1955 of which is slightly greater than the maximum Width of the bands to be utilized in the apparatus. Tapering rollers 6 are disposed radially round this common rotary member 4 and rotatably mounted thereon through the medium of pins 7 having their axes positioned in radial planes relative to the centre of shaft 2 and member 4. These rollers have their smaller ends directed outwards and their larger ends closer to the rotary common memher 4. The topmost generatrices 8 of these rollers 6 substantially in a common plane 9 at right angles to the shaft 2; in other words, the conical surfaces of these rollers are substantially tangent to a common plane 9 at right angles to the shaft 2.

Each tapering roller 6 has associated therewith a follower It) in frictional driving engagement with a race 11 formed on the top portion of the stationary frame 1 coaxially to the shaft An arm 12 is pivotally mounted on the frame 1 through a pin 13 for movement in a plane parallel to shaft 2. This arm 12 has mounted for loose rotation at its free end a follower 14 adapted to engage the payed-out side of the band. This arm is constantly urged upwards by resilient means shown in the form of a spring 15. It carries a slider 16 engaging a resistor 17 in series with a circuit 18 controlling the electric motor 3.

in order to exemplify the operation of the apparatus so far described, let us assume that the band carried by the apparatus is a synchronized sound-and-picture film having its two ends attached to each other so as to form a single endless loop. The incoming side 20 is delivered from an apparatus (not shown) which may be a device for projecting the picture and reproducing the sound recorded on the film.

The outgoing side 21 is delivered to the same optical and sound device after passing over the follower 14.

Except for the relatively short portion of this endless film which at any given moment is engaged in the aforesaid optical and sound device, the whole band, irrespective of its length as the latter is only conditioned by the dimensions of the apparatus, is wound in spiral fashion and laid tlatwise as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 upon a substantially plane annular support comprising the set of rollers 6 disposed radially round the rotary member 4 common thereto. The incoming side the outermost turn of the spiral and the gaging the cylindrical drum 5, loosely 2 as already described, thereby causing this drum 5 to rotate at a tangential velocity equal to the linear speed at which the film is payed out. When the motor 3 drives the common rotary member 4 the followers 10 are caused to roll on the stationary annular race 11 with which they are in frictional engagement, whereby the taper rollers 6 are caused to revolve about their respective pins 7 at an angular veloc1ty which is proportional with that of shaft 2. Thus, each roller 6 has imparted thereto a composite motion resulting from the superposition of a driving motion (that is a rotary motion about the central shaft 2) and a relative motion (that is a rotary motion about their respective pins 7). Thus, in the abovedescribed arrangement, the points along the topmost generatrices 8 of these rollers, on which the spiral-wound film reel 19 is laid, have a relative speed and a driving speed of the same direction and same hand. At a given point along any of these generatrices, the greater the diameter, the higher the relative speed of the roller. In other words, the shorter the distance from the point under consideration to the center of member 4, or the lower the driving speed, the higher the relative velocity. Consequently, the parameters of the apparatus may be constructionally estimated in view of obtaining equal or substantially equal absolute velocities at any points of the generatrices 8 and, as a result, any portions of the SPiIEJ-WOUIId band will be driven at the same linear spee At the beginning of the operation of this apparatus the film is so disposed as to form very slack and spaced turns in the annular portion of the spiral which is closest 0 to the cylindrical drum 5, as shown in Fig. 1. Then, as

the above-described composite motion is imparted to the rollers 6, the turns space and slacken themselves automatically from one to the other end of the rollers 6. No frictional engagement occurs between adjacent turns and the latter do not choke against one another, so that there is no risk of deteriorating the film. With this arrangement a relatively very long band can be wound on an apparatus having a relatively small diameter.

In case a variation occurred in the tension of the outcoming side 21 due to a change in the pay-out speed, the arm 12 will rotate about its fulcrum 13. The slider 16 fast with this arm 12 will change its position along the resistor 17 of circuit 13, thereby modifying the speed of the electro motor 3 in the proper direction for adjusting the tension of the band accordingly.

According to another embodiment of the apparatus, intended more specifically for extremely long bands and shown in Fig. 3, the race 11 is not formed on the frame structure 1 but on a rotary carrier member 25 coaxial with shaft 2 and adapted to rotate independently of this shaft. The carrier member 25 is formed with peripheral teeth 27 in driving engagement with a pinion 26. The motor 3 or like prime mover designed to drive the apparatus is operatively connected to the planet carrier or cage 28 of a differential gear 29 comprising a pair of sun gears 30 and 33.

One sun gear 30 of the differential 29 is connected through toothed wheels 33. and 32 to the shaft 2 of the rotary member 4. The other or opposed sun gear 33 of the mechanism is in driving connection with pinion 26.

When both sun gears 30 and 33 are driven at the same speed by the planet-carrier 28, the rotary members 4 and 25 are driven at the velocity of rotation normally required in relation to each other.

With this arrangement, when the film is being reeled off from the apparatus if it causes the angular velocity of the rotary member 4 to vary, the velocity of rotation of rollers 6 about their axes will be varied accordingly by the differential gear 29, and vice-versa. As the absolute velocities of the two points on the surface of rollers 6 where the film is fed to and from the apparatus, respectively, due to the slight frictional engagement occurring between film and rollers, tend at any time to approximate the velocities of the incoming side and outgoing side of the film respectively, both rotary members 4 and 25 of the driving mechanism, which are operatively connected through the differential 29, will also tend at any time to assume a velocity, in relation to each other, which is a direct function of the aforesaid absolute velocities at those points of the rollers 6 where the film is fed to and from the apparatus, that is, of the linear speeds of the incoming and outgoing sides, respectively. As a result, there occurs automatically a compensation for the variations in speed of these sides.

Of course, the tapering rollers mentioned in this description may be either pointed conical rollers or frustoconical rollers, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Similarly, it would not constitute a departure from the invention to change non-essential details of the apparatus as may occur to anybody conversant with the art of mechanical construction. Thus, the rollers may be rotatably driven through means others than friction followers, for instance toothed wheels meshing with a toothed ring, the latter being either stationary or adapted to revolve about its axis. Again, still within the scope of the invention, the band may be fed to the innermost turn of the spiral-shaped winding and payed out from the outermost turn, in which case on the one hand the smaller ends of the rollers 6 would be positioned in the vicinity of the center of the apparatus, and, on the other hand, these rollers would be rotated about their axes in the direction whereby, at the points thereof where the spiral-wound band is supported, the relative velocity is subtracted from the driving speed, so that each turn will tend to loosen itself from the next inside turn. The film tension adjustment arm may be caused to bear against the film in the downward direction instead of upward, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for supporting and paying out a band wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, said apparatus comprising a rotary member, a set of rollers having a tapering lateral surface, said rollers being spaced at equal angular intervals round said rotary member and mounted for rotation on pins positioned in substantially radial planes, said rollers being substantially tangent to a common plane at right angles to the center axis of said rotary member, thereby forming an annular, spider-like support for said spiral-wound band, means for actuating said rotary member and other means for rotating said rollers about their pins during the rotation of said rotary member at an angular speed of the rollers synchronous with the linear speed of rotation around the common axis.

2. An apparatus for supporting and paying out a band wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, said apparatus comprising a rotary member, a set of rollers having a tapering lateral surface, said rollers being spaced at equal angular intervals round said rotary members and mounted for rotation on pins positioned in substantially radial planes, the larger ends of said rollers being closer to the center axis of said rotary member than their smaller ends, said rollers being substantially tangent to a common plane at right angles to said center axis, thereby forming a substantially plane annular support for said spiral-wound band, means for actuating said rotary member and other means for rotating said rollers about their pins during the rotation of said rotary member, in a direction such that the relative speed of those points of the rollers on which said spiral-wound band is laid is of same hand as the velocity at which said rollers are driven by said rotary member.

3. An apparatus for supporting and paying out a band wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, said apparatus comprising a rotary member, a set of rollers having a tapering lateral surface, said rollers being spaced at equal angular intervals round said rotary member and mounted for rotation on pins positioned in substantially radial planes, said rollers being substantially tangent to a common plane at right angles to the center axis of said rotary member, thereby constituting a substantially annular support for said spiral-wound band, a stationary annular member coaxial with said rotary member and a control member for each of said rollers cooperating with said stationary annular member, whereby the movement of said rotary member causes said rollers to rotate about their axes, and an actuator for said rotary member.

4. An apparatus for supporting and paying out a band wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, said apparatus comprising a rotary member, a set of rollers having a tapering lateral surface, said rollers being spaced at equal angular intervals round said rotary member and mounted for rotation on pins positioned in substantially radial planes, said rollers having their larger ends closer to the center axis of said rotary member than their smaller ends, said rollers being substantially tangent to a common plane at right angles to said center axis of said rotary member, thereby constituting a substantially plane annular support for said spiral-wound band, a stationary annular member coaxial with said rotary member, control members for each of said rollers which cooperate with said stationary annular member and are adapted, when said rotary member is operative, to cause said rollers to revolve round their axes in a direction such that the relative velocity of those points of said rollers on which said spiral-wound band is laid is of same hand as the velocity at which said rollers are rotatably driven by said rotary member.

5. An apparatus for supporting and paying out a band wound in spiral fashion between an incoming side and an outgoing side, said apparatus comprising a rotary member, a set of rollers having a tapering lateral surface, said rollers being spaced at equal angular intervals round said rotary members and mounted for rotation on pins positioned in substantially radial planes, said rollers being substantially tangent to a common plane at right angles to the center axis of said rotary member, thereby constituting a substantially plane annular support for said spiral-wound band, an annular member coaxial with said rotary member and mounted for rotation in relation thereto, control means for each roller, cooperating with said annular member, whereby the relative rotational motion of said rotary member and said annular member causes said rollers to revolve about their axes, a differential gear having one of its three principal members operatively connected to said rotary member and another of said three principal memrs operatively connected to said annular member, and an actuator in driving connection with the third of said three principal members of said difierential gear.

1,116,580 Feaster Nov. 10, 1914 6 Way May 9, 1922 Heyer Apr. 16, 1946 Hurley June 15, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Sept. 6, 1928 

